Sorry guys another long chapter. I'll try and make the next one a little shorter.

A bit more cute and cuddly stuff in the next chapter with Severus taking care of Hermione for the day and Minerva and Severus going clothes shopping with Hermione.

As always, please review and if you like the story give it a favourite.


Chapter 16: A parents first day

The days flew past and Hermione was getting stronger every day.

It was the night before Hermione was due to have her casts removed and Minerva and Poppy decided to give Hermione her fifth bath for the week. The fist few had started out a little rocky with the young girl crying and sobbing into Poppys shoulder but she quickly settled down afterwards when the older matron began to wash her hair and gently sing to the girl. She was truly overjoyed Minerva and Albus had adopted her, although she knew she would have gladly adopted the young girl if Albus said no.

Minerva had decided to join in helping with Hermione for a bubble bath today. They had used an Lavender essence and dittany into the bath water to help soothe the girl and hope the water didn't sting her remaining wounds too badly.

It had been bad enough when Poppy had to take the IV drip out of her arm and induced a onslaught of tears and whimpering on the girls part. Poppy had decided to wait to until the girl had fallen back asleep to re-insert the IV drip. Although, at the fast rate of recovery that the girl was heading in, she could easily remove the IV in total and have her on round the clock potions. She'd entrust Minerva and Albus to that considering how anxious they were to have her home in their quarters. They had spoken about designing the girls room in Gryffindore colours of red and gold with bookshelves and bookshelves of different assortments of magical books. They had wondered whether or not to get her toys knowing how important it was for a child to have as much sensory stimulation as possible but Hermione seemed to only like her teddy. They decided on using an array of stuffed toys that Hermione could cuddle up to at night.

This would be a surprise present for her adoption from Hermione Jean Granger to Hermione Eileen Dumbledore-McGonagall.

Poppy smiled as she stared into the small girls large gold flecked eyes as she placed her down on the toilet of the bathroom. She told Hermione that she needed to wash Hermione's hair again and make sure she was keen as she waited for Minerva to come in. She took a few minutes but entered with a white fluffy towel in her hands.

"Good evening deary" Tabby smiled as she saw the small girl waiting for her. She could see the absolute love and adoration in the girls eyes. She lifted her right arm up trying to grab onto Minerva.

The green eyed woman noticed the girl opening her arms trying to get up off the toilet to get to her.

"Ooch dear, do you want a hug?" Minerva chuckled as Hermione nodded wanting nothing more than to be next to the woman. She picked her up in her arms and cuddled her.

"I have some papers to grade after your bath dear but Severus is going to help you were dinner and tuck you up"

Hermione nodded her head agreeing with what Minerva would ever say in order to not upset her. Minerva kissed her head before asking her if she needed help undressing. Hermione nodded trying to grab a hold of her again but Minerva pulled her back and began unbuttoning her shirt. Hermione gulped looking slightly disappointed at the rejection. She just wanted to be held and comforted. She gently removed the girls shirt before grabbing hold of the girls pants and pulling them down.

"Good girl" She muttered pulling her into the girls arms.

Poppy smiled at the girl as Minerva helped her undress for a bath. She seemed a lot calmer this evening with Minerva around even despite the calming draught.

She watched as the green eyed woman placed a waterproof spell on Hermione's cast before helping her into the warm water.

Hermione hissed through her teeth in pain.

"Is it too hot, sweetheart?" Minerva brushed a lock of hair behind the girl's ear.

Hermione shook her head taking a breath.

"Nwo, it's just my sores" Minerva hissed the top of her head before conjuring a rubber ducky for the brown eyed girl to play with...well watch. Hermione was still very limited in her ability to do practically anything and was heavily reliant on people. Something that must have been somewhat foreign to the girl considering the fact that she had been not only homeless but a homemaker for a long period of her life.

Minerva bend down and placed a soft sponge in the water before bringing it too Hermione's face and wiping it. The small girl snorted and winced away from the sponge. Minerva chuckled being as she continued to wipe the girls face before wiping her neck and arm. Meanwhile the small girl continued to try and bat at the duck that floated past her.

"Ducky!" Hermione whimpered as it floated away. Minerva pulled the girl forward and washed her back being careful of her scars. They would need to be massaged and moisturised after this so that the skin didn't pull when she got bigger. Hermione grabbed a hold of the little duck with her right hand when it floated back to her and tried hopelessly to pull it under the water.

Minerva spent the rest of the time trying to wash the girls body as best as she could despite the bandages and casts. She soaked her hair and washed it through twice in an effort to get the girl's unrulely tangles out. There was a lot to say the least. She would have to find a spell to deal with the wild curls. Until then, she would continue to plait the girls hair so that it didn't get in the way.

"One, two, three" Minerva pulled the girl out of the bath before placing her on a nearby stool Poppy had set up for her. She made sure the girl was dry before helping her into her night clothes and taking her back to bed. She would have thought that the girl had had enough of the infirmary by now. However, she still remained as pleasant as ever, hugging and thanking Minerva as she laid the girl on her side.

The old witch needed to address some of the scar tissue tonight and ensure that the skin was pliable now that it was fully healed. A gentle massage on the girls back every day for 20minutes, Poppy informed her. She pulled the girl's shirt up after making sure she was comfortable and proceeded to rub the girls back with moisturiser on her scars.

"Ah,"

To say the small child was not impressed was an understatement. She was scrunching her face and curling into a ball from the hypersensitivity of her scars. Minerva stopped, heartbroken by the girls' mewls of pain.

"Are you alright dear?"

Hermione nodded trying to soldier through the pain like Minerva would want.

The two had spent over 20minutes trying to lessen the sensitivity and tautness of the scar tissue until Hermione was able to somewhat relax into it without yelping or shuddering.

six o'clock struck before long and Hermione tucked up in her bed with her teddy and Minerva reading a book awaiting Severus to come down so Minerva could return to her work.

"Tabby"

Speak of the devil.

She turned to Severus surprised her was actually on time for once. He really didn't like showing up to well...anything that would drag him away from his potions lab.

"Good evening Severus. I hope you had a good day?" Minerva said formerly before bending down and kissing her daughters head and saying good night.

'A splendid morning spent with the-vein-of-my-life first years followed by an afternoon with some bastard playing a prank and blowing up a cauldron as I had my back turned' Severus rolled his eyes as he clasped his hands before his back.

"Hermione hasn't had dinner yet. Make sure she eats all of her vegetables before she gets desert" She informed him before leaving the room. Severus glanced at the girl to see her excited to be in his presence.

He arched his eyebrow, no one was ever happy to be in his presence.

Weird girl He thought before standing outside and calling for one of the elves to get the girl her dinner. He carried the tray back round the corner before bringing the swivel table round to her.

"Right" He muttered sitting down in the chair next to her before picking up and beginning to read his magazine. Hermione stared at him in disappointment. She really was hungry considering the amount of potions they had her on.

"Sev-er-wus"

"Severus" He corrected for the second time.

She gulped before staring down at her hands.

"What?" He asked, distastful before reconsidering. Hermione wasn't a first year, she was a child and needed to be treated like one.

She hesitated before staring at the food and licking her lips, "I can't eat with my hands" She told him her voice so small.

Severus' eyes widened. He groaned, of course she couldn't.

Idiot He scolded himself before getting up and moving to sit opposite her on the bed.

He didn't know how comfortable he felt with feeding a child and decided to take his time cutting up her food into bite size pieces to make sure she could eat.

Bloody old hag!

He stabbed a piece of chicken and blew on it before placing it near the girl mouth. She smiled at him taking a bite. They continued this way until Hermione had completely eaten her dinner. Severus wiped her mouth before he heard her meek voice pick up again.

"Thank you" He looked down at her. No one ever thanked him. He gulped feeling a small blush cross his face. He couldn't believe he was going to do it but he smiled at her before saying that their was no need and taking her desert out. The two spent the rest of the evening together with Severus mainly reading the next issues of Potions Weekly to her. He wouldn't let her know but he had asked the company to send him one earlier so he could read the next edition to her.

They laughed as Severus commented and remarked on all the ingrediants other potions masters used that the man didn't agree with and there were a number.

"He should've used Fluxweed" Hermione said gold flecked eyes flicking up at the potions' master. He was surprised by her comment on the last one and she smiled cheerfully.

"You swaid the other day that F-ux w-weed is a better wre-placement to Buber-tuber pus as it makes the d d-ought of the living dead more pot-tent"

He agreed amazed at the girls ability to recall that.

Maybe she wasn't a dunderhead like the rest of the students, and some of the staff here.


The next day Hermione had all her bandages removed, it was a great day and Albus, Minerva and Severus were present as Poppy cut off the last of the casts. The girl couldn't have been move relieved, her body ached immensely but her thoughts were ceased immediately as Minerva pulled her up and into her arms, kissing her cheek. Hermione couldn't help but laugh and hugged her back for the first time that she could.

It felt amazing to be able to hug someone again and her new mother absolutely relished in the opportunity too.

It wasn't until an hour later than Minerva and Albus decided to take Hermione back to see her new room that she was to be residing in. They had decided to floo up to the headmasters and deputy headmistresses room rather than walk the whole way given that the girl needed some time to explore and get comfortable.

To say it wasn't the most Gryffindore colours in the world was an understatement. Minerva and Albus definitely had team spirit and it showed greatly in their home. It was a large open plan room with the kitchen, dining room and living room packed into one. In the main room was a simple set-up with three dark red leather couches surrounding the fire. Opposite the back of the furthest couch, was the first room which was to be Hermiones own. To the right was a rather large open planned kitchen with an island in the middle. Walnut wood lined the cupboards with a black marbled top laced with gold swirls. Adjacent to the marble island bench was the living room with an six table walnut room. The dining table had a Gryffindore rug right underneath, similar to the one in the living room.

To the right of the Dining room was a door, directly opposite the couches. That was Minerva and Albus' quarters. On the other side of the wall was several other doors, leading to a library/study, a private room which was always locked and a spare guest bedroom. Hermione was definitely looking forward to seeing the study, she had never been able to enter it as a kitten due to having no opposable thumbs...and being too small.

They showed Hermione to her own room.

It had a Queen size bed in the middle of the back wall with two mahogany night stands. The pillows and sheets were white with a Gyffindore insignia quilt overtop. The carpet was a creamy white. On the left hand side of the room were walls of book shelves, only a few books littered the shelves at the moment but they knew Hermione's collection would no doubt grow in time. They had also put in a large desk for Hermione to study at - mahogony of course to match the bed. The right hand side of the room had a door to her onsuite bathroom.

To the right of the door held several shelves that were lined with a few stuffed toys they thought Hermione would be interested in playing with.

The rest of the walls were lined with red with gold lining the bottom and top of the walls.

All in all, Hermione was head over heels in love with the place and hugged both her parents.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" She hugged both their legs happily.

They couldn't help but cuddle her back before taking her hand and leading her over to her desk. She hadn't noticed it before but there was a certificate. A birth certificate to be accurate. It read Hermione Eileen Dumbledore-McGonagall.

Tears ran down the small girls face as she sniffed.

"It's official. You're own daughter, Hermione" Minerva told her. Hermione laughed in happiness but hugging them one last time. The new family had spent the rest of the evening together having dinner and enjoying each others company through readings or Albus reciting stories of their days when they were younger.

Albus and Minerva woke up to the sounds of a banshie screaming. They turned to each other in a puff and quickly raced out of the room to see what had happened. Unsurprisingly, the girl was causing the ear shattering scream. Sobs wracked her body as she cried into her pillow trying to stop herself. Her teddy, her only long-term comfort was laying forgotten on the floor as she twisted herself further into the quilt and blankets. Minerva and Albus were immediately at the girls side trying to wake her up and settle her as quickly as possible.

Truly, it was the most peaceful all three had felt in such a long time. Minerva and Albus spent over an hour tucking Hermione up and cuddling her before reading her a bed time story of their own accord. They helped her with her medicine before Minerva sung her to sleep.

Truly, the parents were exhausted but happy they finally had a child.

It wasn't until late that everything change.

3AM screams were something of horrors on PTSD after wars and the two new parents felt as though they were experiencing Angina.

"Hermione dear, wake up" Minerva shifted the girl trying to get her to open her eyes. Another wrack of sobs emmited from the girls mouth before Minerva shook the girls shoulder. It caused Hermione to flinch from the touch.

"I'm sowwry, I'm sowwry. Pweeze don't hurt me" She muttered to them, tears sprawling down her face. Minerva picked her up into her arms, earning a whimper from the girl who curled her body protectively into a ball and continuing to beg them for mercy.

"Hermione, please wake up dear, it's us" Albus cooed to the girl brushing a lock of hair out of her face and rubbing away her tears. Another rub of the girls shoulders from Minerva and the girls eyes began to flutter open. She stared at up scared at the reactions of her two new parents in fear.

"I'm sowwry, I didn't mean to wake you up. Pweeze don't get rid of me. I pwomise to be quiet" She begged them earning more looks of sympathy from the two.

"Merlin" Albus muttered looking at his wife in concern wondering what to do about their new daughter. Minerva was looking back at her husband in similar concern. They girl was even more broken then they had originally realised. Hermione's widened eyes, turned to a state of panic. She took their silence for reconsideration of her adoption. Another bout of panic hit her, she would be thrown on the streets again. Her fingers came up to her hair pulling at it in fear.

"Pweeze, pweeze" Her shallow breathing coming to light.

"I-I pwomise. Pweeze don't get rid of me" Hermione told them again sobbing and pulling her hair harder in a point to punish herself for her misdeed.

"Hermione, no. Stop" Minerva told the girl out of fright as she began to tug at her hair. Albus grabbed her arms trying to stop herself from further hurting herself.

"We aren't going to get rid of you" Albus shushed her as her wheezing took affect. Hermione's head reeled with the new information. If they weren't going to get rid of her then they were going to punish her. She began to shudder in fear. She knew logically that they hadn't raised a hand to her but she had awoken them. She had done something bad. Something unforgivable. She began to sob again back into Minerva's chest.

"Ooch" Minerva held her tighter in her arms and rubbed her side.

Albus had licked his lips, nervous. He had peaked inside the girls mind and saw the utter fear that wracked her body. Why she was acting so scared around them. He stared up at his wife as he comforted the child knowing what she was going to say.

"I think she needs to stay with us tonight and we will sort this out in the morning"

He nodded, grabbing his daughters teddy off the floor before helping his wife with the door.

Morning had come too early for the family as they laid in bed. Minerva and Albus cuddled up in each other arms and, as usual, Hermione in her Animagus form cuddled up on Minerva's chest in peace.

All three were startled by Minerva's wand vibrating under the pillow signalling the beginning of the day.

Of god, they had a staff meeting this morning. Minerva groaned at the prospect of an early start. There was no way in hell they were leaving Hermione by herself for even a minute at this stage. No, she was just going to have to come to the staff meeting.

Minerva sighed, feeling the usual weight on her chest. She stroked Bear wondering when Hermione had changed during the night to her kitten form.

"Albus" She muttered giving the man a light shove to try and wake him up. His arms curled tighter around his wife.

"5 more minutes, dear" He yawned snuggling into the crook of her neck but stopped as soon as he felt a feather duster hit his nose...once...twice. He blinked his eyes open and pulled away to see the kitten's rather large tail flicking at the side of his face.

Huh? Maybe Hermione didn't have nightmares in her animal form.

"Good morning my dear. Would you like a cuppa before beginning the day"

She lifted her upper body up to sit up on her pillows and pulling Bear onto her lap waking her up. She could subtly hear the girl groaning in her other form.

"That would be lovely, Albus. I'm just going to grab a quick shower" It was more of a cold one to wake up to be fair. Waking up at 3AM wasn't great. She watched as Bear got up from her lap and jumped on Albus' pillow to sleep on. Minerva chuckled before speaking to the girl.

"Ay dear, don't expect to be sleeping in. We don't have a babysitter yet so you'll be attending our morning staff meeting. I expect you to be ready and dressed in half an hour" Minerva smirked as Bear's eyes opened to pout. She chuckled before walking off at the girls horror of not sleeping in.

Hermione wasn't too pleased at the prospect of having to get up. It took her a minute to compose herself after mentally screaming about the prospect of her morning nap being taken away from her. She removed herself from the bed and changed back into her human form and moved off to her bathroom to have a quick shower.

Like her mother, Minerva had set Hermione's clothes out for her new desk. She gently took them in a bundle in her arms and turned to use her bathroom. After a quick shower, Hermione pulled on a white collared shirt with the Hogwarts crest on the left chest pocket and a pencil, dark grey skirt. Minerva hadn't had the time to take Hermione shopping for new clothes yet and had told Hermione that these were transfigured from the original uniform. Whatever that meant.

Hermione grabbed her hairbrush before walking into the kitchen area to find her new dad standing in the kitchen area with a bunch of papers in his hands. He looked up to see Hermione paddling into the room with no shoes on carrying a handbrush in her left hand.

"Ah good morning. How did you sleep last night?" He asked seeing the fuzz of bedhead she had. She bit her lip turning her head away from him now finding the comb in her hands to be of more interest.

"Sowwry" She whispered in a barely audible whimper. He sighed in concern, bending down to her level before gently stoking her cheek.

"My dear. Miner... your mother and I are not mad. We just want to know that you're okay. We will speak later about it, okay?"

She gulped but nodded before licking her lips.

Albus had taken another look at her and saw that she wasn't wearing any socks.

"My dear, the floor must be freezing" He picked her up and put her on the bench. Despite his concern, Hermione arched her eyebrow in question. She hadn't worn shoes for a very long time, needless to say; she was used to the cold and didn't particular look forward to the feel of material rubbing against her scared feet.

She didn't want to ask about him doing her hair. It was a good thing Albus could do legilimency but it scared him that Hermione couldn't ask for simple things that any child wouldn't give a second thought about asking there parents.

"Would you like me to brush your hair?"

Hermione nodded wanting to tell him that her daddy always did her hair but remained silent and passed him the brush. There was no rush, Albus thought. Trust is earned and Hermione was still learning.

Needless to say, Albus needed to brush up on his brushing skills. Literally. He had never struggled so much when it came to such trivial things but Hermione's hair proved more difficult then taming a Hungarian Horntail to say the least. Her hair was wild. He didn't know how her father had accomplished such a feat. In the end, he had to call for his wife who Hermione had told her that her father usually plated her hair. Minerva agreed, her daughters hair was too wild to be loose. After some struggle with the brush and some magic to straighten her hair and plait it, the family were late for the meeting. It was made even more complicated as Hermione refused to go in after she asked who would be there and Albus had simply replied; all the staff.

"All the staff?" Hermione had questioned as she held her parents hands. She freaked out to say the least and slammed her heels in. Another thing that had proved difficult for the parents. Hermione wasn't used to wearing shoes anymore and had blatently refused to wear them at first. When they had questioned it, the same story came up. Less than an animal. Minerva should had hit her uncle harder.

After another anxiety attack from the girl, Minerva had decided to pick her up and walk the rest of the way to the staff room with a crying, defeated girl in her arms. It made the couple worry more, Hermione's fear of new people. They would have to ask her about that later but considering the fact that Hermione had told them that her uncle's friends were bad people made them consider that Hermione was very apprehensive to meet new people in her human form.

Again, they hadn't realised when the shift happened but when they opened the door to the staff room, Hermione had again shifted into her Animagus form and curled into Minerva's pocket.

As much as Minerva would have liked to have tried to pull the girl out there was no point in causing her anymore anxiety and resided to allowing the girl to curl up happily in her pocket.

She sighed, trying to run a soothing hand over Hermione's shaking spine trying to calm the poor girl as she entered the room. Everyone was there as usual.

Severus seemed annoyed and somewhat angry at his coffee. He ended up pushing it away from him before sitting up straight Minerva enter the room and sit down next to him.

"How was your first morning?" He asked seeing as both Albus and Minerva looked exhausted. Minerva rolled her eyes before Albus began the meeting.

"Good morning all, sorry about the lateness, I will try and be quick" He was in fact but Hermione didn't pay attention to anything he had to say. Rather, after hearing Severus' voice decided to change into her tiger form and jump onto his lap causing a stir. He yelped causing a glance from the rest of the professors who saw the young man glaring at his lap. Suddenly, a small lion cub poked his head on the table and mewled at them.

"Bloody hell Severus, where'd you pull that out from?" Hooch laughed earning glares from both him and Minerva.

"I'll have you know this is not...This is my familiar, Alstromeria"

Minerva arched her eye brow.

"Alstromeria?" Minerva stated again earning a glared and a nod from Severus as he patted the animals head trying to force her down on to his lap.

"Yes,"

He heard a vocal of awws coming from across the room. His eyes ended up on Trelawny who had just previously tried to slip him a love potion. Idiot. She'd be paying for that.

Yes, she would pay dearly.

"Alstro, what a pretty name" Professor Sinistra cooed to the animal sitting adjacent to Severus. Severus rolled his eyes, allowing the woman to pet his "familiar" before telling Albus to back to business.

If he could stay awake long enough! The dark haired man rolled his eyes.

By the end of the meeting, Hermione had successfully managed to shed a lot of her fur on Severus' lap before falling asleep. Albus had finished the meeting informing them that the Ministry of Magic, including Miss Umbridge and Cornelius themselves would be here to address the school and have a look around. That meant classroom inspections, everyone groaned in pain even Minerva who would have to make sure Hermione and her husband got some rest tonight. She concluded that Hermione would sleep in their bed tonight and keep out of trouble.

Severus immediately stood up leaving as soon as Albus called it, dumping the creature back into Minerva's arm before gritting his teeth in anger and leaving.

"Ooch, dear. You made quite a mess" She brushed the tigers' hair before cradling her back into her arms. The tiger didn't mind, purring into her mothers chest. She was happy; she got to see Severus.


By lunch time they had decided to have a quiet meal by themselves to have a chat with their new daughter.

Hermione saw the food on the table and instantly ran into the kitchen much to both Minerva's and Albus' surprise. They followed her and found her on her knees with her head bent down awaiting for something.

"Hermione dear what's wrong?" Minerva asked concerned.

Hermione licked her lips again and looked up at them not wanting to ask for food. Albus deciding that the only way they were going to find out what she wanted was through magic, entered the girls mind to see a scene in which she would wait in the kitchen next to a dog bowl to be fed. From the images that flooded him, it wasn't just in the kitchen, somewhere along the line she had been held down in the basement attached to a chain and would lay down next to her bowl for food seeing as she was too exhausted to sit and beg. Like a dog. He had never felt so angry in his life. He gritted his teeth as his hands clenched into fists. He was paying that uncle of hers another visit.

Hermione flinched back seeing her new fathers hands curl into fists. Her chest tightened in fear as Minerva turned to Albus.

"Dear what's wrong?" Minerva asked. She had never particularly seen her husband this upset before.

Hermione instantly bolted for it. She managed to run into her room.

"Albus?" Minerva was concerned. He shook his head, holding the bridge of his nose.

"I found that Hermione is extremely afraid to tell us when she requires something and have started to use legilimency on her, however I believe I have seen to much of her past. Her uncle was not a nice man to say the least. Hermione has severely understated what had occurred at his home and I feel like the topic needs to be revisited" He stated trying to calm his nerves.

Minerva was confused.

"What did you see?"

He sat down at the kitchen table and rubbed his weary eyes.

"She used to have to sit in the kitchen and wait next to a bowl for food. I saw another image of her chained in a basement laying next to a dogs bowl awaiting to be fed too tired to be able to sit up. I don't believe Hermione sees herself as Hermione and is afraid that we will act negatively if she asks for anything"

Minerva's felt light headed at the idea of their daughter being that way. She needed to know that she was loved and wasn't some possession to be tossed around and used before being thrown out. No wonder she was constantly trying to prove her worth to them. Why she constantly tried to please them and never say no to them despite Hermione's discomfort. The shoes, the bath, the socks, the everything.

Minerva pinched the bridge of her nose.

They needed to speak to her. Go through a list of rules with her at least.

"I'll go get her and we'll have a conversation over some rules"

Albus couldn't help but agree and began setting out the plates before grabbing a quill and paper. By the time his family had come back in the room, he had already made at least three rules for the girl to follow.

Minerva called out for her daughter as she entered the room. She searched the cupboard, underneath her desk, her bathroom before coming to looking under the bed where she found the girl trembling with her teddy wrapped tightly in her arms. She yelped as she saw Minerva staring at her in concern. She wanted to tell the woman to leave her alone but settled to turning her back to her and hiding further under the bed.

"Ooch, dear please come out. You're not in trouble"

She sniffed, "I upset Albus" She stated. Minerva instantly took note of the change to her husbands name illustrating the distance the single act had created. Minerva sighed. Hermione was very perceptive much to the woman's dismay. She was constantly hyper alert for any changes in people which made it even more difficult for the girl to start working to get over her trauma.

"I promise dear, you didn't upset your papa. He was just upset that your uncle had starved you and made you beg for food"

Hermione looked up to her in surprise. Well she shouldn't have really. Minerva had constantly told her that what her uncle did was wrong. She took her mothers hand and allowed her to pull her out and into a hug.

"Ay dear, he didn't mean to scare you" She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead.

Hermione bit her lip but nodded.

"I'm sowwry. I did it again didn't I?" She asked. Minerva's hand paused and came to rest on her cheek. The girl had such poor self-esteem despite her age.

"No dear, you didn't do anything wrong. You're just a scared girl. You need to come out and eat with us though; properly"

Hermione nodded once again before grabbing her teddy and following her mother into the next room where her papa sat at the table. A small high tea had been set up for the three of them with tiny sandwiches which Hermione wanted so desperately to eat. Still, she hesitated at the bench making Minerva pull her up and seat her into the chair both adjacent to her parents.

Albus smiled at her before apologising for scaring the poor girl. They made up quickly with a gentle hug before beginning their meal.

"I think our first rule should be focussed on you telling us when you need something. It doesn't matter what it is or when it is, you need to tell us so we can properly care for you"

"For example, I need you to tell us when you are hungry, thirsty, scared, tired, if you want someone to brush your hair or you just generally want a hug, okay" Minerva listed the items off on her finger, adding to her husbands point.

Hermione hesitated but nodded.

Minerva noticed her hesitation and decided to start small, "why don't we give that one a try first? You can pick any sandwich you want"

She bit her lip and was about to ask when a flood of memories hit her.

"U-Uncle, may I pweaze have something to eat. I'm starving" She begged him tears streaming down her face. She knew she'd get punished but she was extremely hungry and desperate enough to risk it

His grip on his knife tightened and Hermione instantly knew she had overdone it. She took small steps back from him gulping as he stood up. He lunged at her cutting diagonally down her just just underneath her collar bone. She screamed falling onto the floor trying to stop the bleeding with her hands but it was hopeless. He picked her up again shoving her to the cellar and ordering her to bring out her possessions...

Hermione ran her fingers down the hypertopic scarring on her chest just under the collar of her shirt. It was so close to her artery that if it were aimed on slightly higher, it would have killed her in seconds. She licked her lips, she would be with her real parents if he had only been a centimeter higher. The prodding that she felt in the back of her brain stopped forcing the brown haired girl to look up at Albus. She didn't know why she felt the need but it wasn't the first time today she had felt it. She grabbed the back of her skull and looked at him suspiciously. She saw a glint of surprise in his eyes before they returned to their normal cheerfulness.

Cheshire Hermione thought referencing Alice in Wonderland.

She turned back to her task at hand noticing Minerva's anticipation for an answer.

Hermione started to panic as her parents stared down at her waiting for her answer. She decided an alternative, pointing to what she wanted instead in order to satisfy them but it wasn't enough.

"Hermione, you need to ask please"

She swallowed her fear as much as she could and asked through closed eyes, "m-may I pweeze have something to eat?" She took a step, dread running through her system. Minerva smiled and ran her fingers through the girls head making her yelp. She opened her eyes to see them both staring at her.

Did I do something right? Hermione thought.

"And what sandwich would you like dear: Tuna, ham, salmon and we have beef"

Hermione licked her lips in hunger.

"Beef pweeze" She said, earning another two smiles from her parents. She smiled as Minerva served her a few sandwiches before serving her a cup of tea with a calming drought and a drought of hunger. She didn't try to hide the potion pouring knowing that drugging the girl behind her back was not the proper way to go. She did tell her to drink all her medicine in hopes that they could progress along with the list of rules without going through another panic attack.

"You also need to make sure you are supervised?"

"Super-vised?"

"Until you're ready to go back to school. We'll have to make sure you are that you are not left alone"

Hermione looked up at him in fear. He ran a gentle hand through her hair and curled it behind it her ear.

"Okay? You need to be with an adult. You are also not to go near the Forbidden Forest on any occasion. You are also not to go wondering around the halls without an adult"

Hermione nodded agreeing with the rules.

"Now we do need you to follow those rules or you will be grounded"

Hermione gulped in fear.

"Like...in the basement? I don't want to be chained!" She winced her eyes thinking of hoe many times she was chained up and tortured. Minerva noticed the girls shaking and clarified the meaning.

"That means you'll be sent to bed early, my dear but you of course you'll be free to study"

Hermione bit her lip but nodded.

"Now dear I think it's only fair that you have some input into an appropriate discipline if anything were to happen that would jeapardise your safety and our rules"

Hermione took in a breathe before staring at her hands.

"I don't want teddy taken away from me as pun-is-ment" Hermione muttered which the couple were more than happy to agree too.

"And I-I don't want to be hit" She added muttering into her chest.

"Ooch, sweetheart. We promise. It will never come to that" Minerva rubbed her back trying to cheer her up. Hermione sighed, feeling a little better.

"I believe a time-out should be fitting if you do happen to break the rules"

Hermione nodded, it was something her parents often did to her at home and she was more than happy to agree with as much as she hated the punishment. However, she didn't think it would come to that. She was well behaved at home and tried constantly to please her parents. All in all, she was a good girl.

"Now, that that is sorted. How about good behaviour?" Hermione's eyes lit up happily.

That was easy, she wanted books!

By afternoon both parents were exhausted and decided to finish off their work as soon as possible. As much as Minerva felt bad, she was glad Hermione was able to change her appearance and fall asleep as Bear on her desk for the remainder of the afternoon to try and catch up on her sleep.

Minerva had spent the rest of the day constantly checking up on her and making sure she was comfortable.

They needed to work out a babysitting system and fast.

Minerva and her husband were flat out all of tomorrow and needed someone to watch Hermione for a few hours. She stared down at the teachers' schedule and smiled; Friday Severus was free for most of the day.

Oh yes,

That would give Minerva enough time tomorrow to sort out her classes and by the weekend be completely free to take Hermione clothes shopping.

Yes, that would work quite nicely.


I swear I'm making the chapters longer and longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Severus decided on Hermione's tiger name for a certain reason. Hope you guys enjoyed that little easter egg.